Blind
by wirenoose
Summary: The explosion left Mello with a better reminder than just his scarred features. *One-shot can be read as implied yaoi or friendship* *Rated T for Mello's swearing*


Gods...yes, another short for Mello and Matt. I'm slowly becoming more addicted to this pairing.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note**

* * *

Matt held his breath as he wound the bandages, waiting for Mello to stir.

Mello's skin was still burned badly, but it was healing up without infection and that was really all Matt could hope for at this point.

Taping it in place he sat back and nodded at his handy work.

He couldn't help but smile.

They'd been playing by the massive tree in the Wammy's House yard, climbing up, racing to the top. Mello had reached it first and Matt had grinned up at him before his foot slipped. Mello had tried to catch him, and he did, only slowing the fall.

In the end, Matt had ended up with a cut on his head and had to wear a bandage for a couple weeks while it healed. Mello had made fun of him for it, making up all kinds of stupid jokes that had been funny in their nine year old minds.

"Not so funny now is it Mells?" he asked quietly, reaching for more gauze to start binding Mello's torso with.

Once completely done, Matt got up, rolling out the kinks in his back that had developed when he was hunched over Mello. The red head made his way to the bathroom, to wash the blood and antiseptic from his hands before going to the kitchen to make coffee.

Lord knows he'd need it when Mello woke up.

Mello had been unconscious since Matt had dragged him from the warehouse, having only drifted into consciousness once, to cuss out Near and Kira and everyone in between, including Matt himself but then he'd passed out again.

Matt cleared the excess gauze and bandage rolls from the table, setting them on the floor and turning on his PSP. He didn't really know if Mello would want coffee when he woke up but he knew he'd want chocolate, so there were ten bars stacked up within arms' reach.

"Just wake up soon okay Mells?" Matt couldn't help it and kissed Mello's unburned cheek before settling in for a long night.

* * *

Mello smelled hot chocolate, that's what woke him up and it kept his focus from the blistering pain at his face and torso.

He tried to make a sound, to ask why the lights were out but he only produced a small moan.

"Hey Mells, easy there. I'll help you up."

Mello would know Matt's voice anywhere.

"What happened?" he asked, wincing as Matt sat him up, propping a pillow up against his side.

"The blast from the explosion knocked you unconscious and you've got some awesome scarring going on." Matt said.

Mello prodded his face to feel the bandages covering his face and his eyes. So that's why he couldn't see anything.

"I smelled hot chocolate." He said gruffly.

"Something told me to make some, maybe it was that God of yours or something, telling me you'd wake up today." Matt called from the kitchen.

"Yeah, maybe." Mello said quietly, feeling around for his rosary, finding a chocolate bar instead. He eagerly tore it open, taking a big bite but wincing as he stretched his cheek.

"Slow down Mells, try not to move so much." Matt fitted his hands to a small mug and hovered his hands about Mello's just in case the blond dropped it.

Mello apparently sensed his hands and swatted them away.

"I don't need your help Matt." He said sharply, almost sloshing the drink out of the mug and onto his already damaged skin.

"Just being considerate." Matt backed off and silently moved the coffee table closer when Mello tried to set the cup down.

"I've got some pain killers but I didn't know if you were gonna be all macho and refuse them." Matt said, digging the bottle from his discarded vest.

"Of course I want them, I'm proud, not stupid." Mello held out his hands, presumably for the bottle and Matt gave it to him, eye brows raised in curiosity.

Mello got the top off easily enough but paused. After a couple of seconds, he tilted it carefully and slowly put the excess pills back in the bottle. He didn't wait for water and gulped the pills dry, grimacing at the taste and feeling around for his chocolate bar.

"You gonna be okay Mells? I mean, those bandages won't be coming off for a while."

"Why is it so cold?" Mello asked, instead of answering Matt's question.

"You're not wearing a shirt." Matt jumped back, anticipating the punch Mello would throw in his direction.

"Pervert." Mello spat lightly.

"_Your_ pervert." Matt reminded him.

In the weeks that past, Matt had learned to tiptoe around Mello and his inability to see. Mello had learned the layout of Matt's apartment but things still moved and Matt had to plant things like Easter Eggs for Mello to find.

The chocolate for one, his rosary for two.

No to mention, letting Mello count out his pain meds on his own.

Mello tripped over all the cords and wires that crisscrossed Matt's floor so he tried to keep the blond as close as possible, to catch him when he tripped, even if it did get him hit.

* * *

Finally, Matt deemed Mello ready to get the bandages off.

It seemed to take an eternity to unwind all the bandages and Matt chose to start with Mello's torso first, anticipating the worst for Mello's face. The scarring went over his eye after all.

"Hurry up Matt." Mello said once Matt discarded the bandages.

But Matt was already crying, hands shaking as he began to undo the bandages at Mello's head.

"Are you crying?" Mello listened for the sounds of sniffles but was disappointed, Matt was a silent crier.

Instead, he lifted a glove free hand to Matt's wet cheek.

"What are you so worried about Matty?" he asked, a light bite to his voice, "I'm the one with the scarring remember, if anyone should be worried, I should."

In a rare tender moment, Mello took Matt's hand and grinned a small grin.

"Come one, it's time for the big reveal."

Matt just whispered an okay and finished unwinding the first layer.

Mello's eyes were closed when he pulled away the last layer of wrappings and Matt took a moment to touch the scar.

"Does it look cool?" Mello asked, eyes still closed.

"Yeah."

"Lead me to the bathroom? I want to see it when I open my eyes."

Matt stayed on Mello's tail as the blond felt along the walls, bare feet keeping him from tripping as much.

Once in front of the mirror, Mello opened his bright blue eyes.

And he saw nothing.

"Matt, this isn't funny."

"I'm not doing anything."

"I'm serious Matt!" Mello was starting to sound hysteric, feeling around for Matt, curling his fingers into the boy's striped shirt.

"What's wrong?" he asked, trying to calm Mello down.

"I can't see anything damn it! Nothing! Matt don't you get it? I'm fucking blind!" Mello's face was the epitome of panic and Matt wrapped him in a hug as the blond broke down.

"Matt, Matty, what am I gonna do? I can't see! How the hell do I beat Near now?" Mello asked. "That stupid little albino brat is gonna catch Kira, Matt are you even listening?"

Mello tried beating his way out of the vice grip but Matt wouldn't budge, holding tight enough to spark a dull ache in Mello's burned torso.

"I'm listening Mells." He said quietly.

"Then how the fuck are you so calm! I can't do anything now! How can I be L if I'm blind? How can I beat Near if I'm blind! Matt! Fucking answer me!"

Mello was going into hysterics and all Matt could do was hold him tighter.

His Mello. His Mello was blind, unseeing. The proud, ever vain Mello was blind.

There were a lot of words that one could associate with Mello but blind was not one of them. It seemed almost unreal and Matt would be lying if he said he didn't think it would happen. It had always been a possibility, but he never told Mello that.

* * *

"Mells?"

It had taken over an hour for Matt to get Mello to calm down and to sit him on the couch with a chocolate bar.

"What Matty?" the blond sat in a moping heap on the far end of the couch, away from Matt and curled up.

"You shouldn't focus on the things you can't do anymore because there are plenty of things that you _can _do."

"And what _can_ I do Matt?" he asked, a sad tone already creeping into his voice.

"You can stay here with me." Matt suggested.

Mello didn't respond, just closed his useless eyes and presumably went to sleep.

A few hours later, Matt was slipping on his vest and grabbing his keys.

"I don't know if you're awake or just ignoring me Mells, but I'm gonna go to the store for a few things, don't do anything stupid okay?"

Of course, he got no response.

Sighing, Matt kissed Mello's head and left.

* * *

When he got back, he set the bags on the table, most of them full of Mello's favorite foods, aside from chocolate of course, he found Mello missing.

His gun sat on the table, one bullet in the chamber and Matt felt his heart stop. eyes widening behind his tinted goggles, Matt ran about, trying to find the blond.

Mello was in the bedroom.

Curled up around one of Matt's shirts and buried beneath the comforter.

The majority of the tension that had resided in Matt since that day went away and, boots and goggles still on, he climbed into bed beside Mello.

Gently pulling the blond to his chest, Matt wrapped his arms around the boy.

* * *

_"Hey Mells?" Matt stood on the ladder of the bunk bed. Even with the pain pills the nurse had given him, his head still hurt and he didn't like sleeping with the bandage on his head._

_"What is it Matty?" Mello asked, voice laced heavily with sleep._

_"Can I sleep with you? I think I might sleep easier if I do." _

_"Yeah, sure, whatever, just hurry up, I'm tired." Mello lifted the covers just enough for Matt to worm in and snuggle into his friend._

_"Thanks Mells."_

_"Goodnight Matt." Mello threw an arm around him and snuggled closer, pressing a kiss over the bandage, "Sorry I didn't catch you."_

_"It's alright, and you did catch me."_

_"You still fell."_

_"You stopped me from dying." Matt pointed out._

_Mello just smirked before yawning._

_"Guess that means you get to save my life when we're older huh?" Mello joked._

_"I guess it does." Matt said quietly._

_It was quiet again for a few minutes._

_"Hey Mells." Matt said again._

_"Matt, I thought we were going to sleep." Mello mumbled into the pillow._

_"I just wanted to tell you something."_

_"What?"_

_"I promise that I'll save your life when we're older," he paused, "But you have to let me."_

_"I'll be sure to do that Matt, now go to sleep."_

* * *

I dunno why but the idea of the explosion blinding Mello has been floating about my cranium and I had to write it out, throwing in a cutesie little back story to go along with it because that's what I do best.

I hope you guys liked it, tell me what you think!

Thanks Lovelies!

~wirenoose


End file.
